Carlos Wilcox IV

Since its inception, each month LHCP has honored a military service member who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Every box which is shipped from LHCP is labeled with information about the Honoree. The monthly Honoree’s story is attached to the box so others can read about those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. This month’s Honoree is Army Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV.

Died July 16, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

Carlos E. Wilcox IV

27, of Cottage Grove, Minn., assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, Stillwater, Minn.; died July 16 in Basra, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire. Also killed were Spc. James D. Wertish and Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick.

Minnesota mourns guardsmen killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

STILLWATER, Minn. — Condolences poured in from across the state Saturday after three soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard were killed in Iraq.

The Pentagon on Saturday confirmed the slain soldiers were 22-year-old Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick, of Woodbury; 20-year-old Spc. James D. Wertish, of Olivia; and 27-year-old Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV, of Cottage Grove. All three were assigned to Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company, 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division. “We mourn the loss of these three soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Larry Shellito, the Minnesota National Guard’s adjutant general, in a statement. “They were truly part of our National Guard family.” The soldiers were killed Thursday evening when insurgents attacked their Basra position with mortars, rockets and artillery.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said in a statement Saturday that she was “deeply saddened” by the soldiers’ deaths. “They made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and for that we are forever grateful,” she said.

Funeral details were not immediately provided. But an organization that supports military families and troops returning from duty planned a silent vigil to honor the three soldiers and their families. The Yellow Ribbon Network of Washington County said the vigil, to be held Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Stillwater Veterans Memorial, would also honor all deployed service members and their families.

Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they arrested a member of an Iranian-backed militia suspected in an attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in southern Iraq. It wasn’t immediately clear whether those three soldiers were the Minnesota guardsmen. Maj. Gen. Adil Daham, chief of the Basra provincial police, said the militiaman confessed early Saturday to the attack on a U.S. base near the airport. The rocket attack was a rare assault on troops in the comparatively quiet south, the U.S. military said.

The last time three Minnesota soldiers were killed on the same day in Iraq was Feb. 21, 2005, when three National Guard troops were killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.

Wilcox, who wanted to become a doctor, had been on his first deployment to Iraq since May, his mother told The Associated Press on Friday. “He was a very proud young man, just very proud to serve his country,” said Charlene Wilcox.

Carlos Wilcox grew up in Minnesota and graduated from Tartan High School in Oakdale, his mother said. He studied at Arizona State University and in Granada, Spain. He then returned to Minnesota and graduated from Metropolitan State University with a biology degree.

Medical school was in his future

The Associated Press

Carlos Wilcox had his sights on medicine. He earned a biology degree from Metro State University, returning to Minnesota after spending time studying at Arizona State University and in Granada, Spain. Even when deployed to Iraq, he found time to study while helping his comrades as a health care specialist.

“He wanted to become a doctor,” said his mother, Charlene Wilcox. “I had just sent him books to study for the MCAT [entrance exam] so he could apply for medical school.”

Wilcox, 27, of Collage Grove, Minn., died July 16 alongside two other Minnesota Army National Guard soldiers during an insurgent attack in Iraq. His mother said Wilcox was on his first deployment and had been in Iraq since May. His unit was based in Stillwater, Minn.

Comrades said they had fun joking around with Wilcox but were always a bit amazed by how professional and astute he was while deployed. “Wilcox always took care of us,” one of his fellow soldiers said. “If anyone was hurting or had a medical issue, he took care of it.”

Wilcox grew up in Minnesota and graduated from Tartan High School in Oakdale. He enlisted in the National Guard in 2006, after a short break from service with the Army Reserve. He is survived by his mother. “He was a very proud young man, just very proud to serve his country,” she said.

Post navigation

Search

Search for:

Categories

Categories

DONATE

Donate now to provide comfort and relief items for our military members who become sick, injured, or wounded from service to our country. There are four easy ways to donate monetarily. LHCP is an approved Combined Federal Campaign (CFC.) LHCP's CFC designation code is 12282. Charities approved to receive funds through the CFC are required to submit to extensive review of their financial and governance practices prior to acceptance. This eligibility review has helped set standards for participation in giving initiatives that transcend the community.
There are four easy ways to donate monetarily.

Combined Federal Campaign

LHCP is an approved Combined Federal Campaign Charity (CFC.) LHCP's CFC designation code is 12282. Charities approved to receive funds through the CFC are required to submit to extensive review of their financial and governance practices prior to acceptance. This eligibility review has helped set standards for participation in giving initiatives that transcend the community.

v-dac

A free, convenient service for converting that extra car, truck, or RV into a tax deductible donation benefiting Landstuhl Hospital Care Project. Donate Now online or call 1-877-999-8322.

Best in America

Best in America The Independent Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to ... more

Guidestar

GuideStar connects donors and grantmakers and is the world's largest source of information about nonprofit organizations. The Platinum seal is the highest rating a nonprofit can receive. Guidestar LHCP.

LRMC

The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is an overseas military hospital operated by the United States Army and the Department of Defense. LRMC is the largest military hospital outside the continental United States.

Your contributions and fundraising tell our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines that they are supported.Thank you for making a difference in the lives of service members hospitalized outside the United States.